Isle of Wight launches teen Pill scheme

Girls as young as 13 who live on the Isle of Wight will now be able to get the contraceptive pill without their parents' consent.

The Isle of Wight primary care trust (PCT) has launched the scheme, which will enable girls who request the morning after pill to also receive a month's supply of the Pill.

After the initial month's supply, girls must visit a doctor or specialist nurse to obtain further supplies.

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The scheme is designed to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies among teenagers.

Dr Jenifer Smith, director of public health at NHS Isle of Wight, said that women between the ages of 13 and 50 generally seek emergency hormonal contraception at community pharmacies.

'It is not for the health service to moralise on the rights and wrongs of underage sex, but earlier this year we identified a gap in the local arrangements,' Ms Smith explained.

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'A girl aged 13 to 16 could access emergency hormonal contraception whenever needed, but would not be referred to the sexual health service for counselling and a discussion about the longer-term effects of their sexual activity, such as sexually transmitted infections.'

Dr Smith noted that the NHS had not sought to publicise the enhanced service, as this would be 'inappropriate'.

However, she insisted that it would help to safeguard 'vulnerable young people'.

But the scheme has proven to be controversial, with Conservative MP Andrew Turner arguing: 'How can adults bring up their children if their children can go into a shop, more or less, and be handed over something which is so significant?'

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